Winter wise Ways to look after yourself during the coldest months - DTrusted Vitamin - AWS

Winter wise
Ways to look after yourself
during the coldest months

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Contents
About this guide                   2
1. Looking after yourself          3
2. Staying healthy                 6
3. Keeping your home warm          9
4. Making winter more affordable   13

 Date of publication:
 August 2020
 Next review date:
 August 2021

© Independent Age, 2020
                                        1

About this guide

    Winter can bring extra challenges. Dark evenings
    and icy pavements can make it hard to get out,
    while cold weather can make us vulnerable to
    illness. It’s not just severe weather that causes
    problems – even average winter temperatures can
    affect our health. This guide has tips on staying
    healthy and safe, as well as information about the
    help available with higher winter fuel costs.

    In this guide you’ll find references to our other
    free publications. You can order them by calling
    0800 319 6789 or visiting independentage.org/
    publications.

    You can use our two checklists, Preparing for
    winter and Staying well during winter, to plan
    for the colder months. Download them at
    independentage.org/staying-well-in-winter.

2

1    Looking after
     yourself

Many of these tips will seem like common sense.
However, it’s a good idea to think about them in
advance, to make sure you have everything you
need for when the weather turns chilly.

Wrap up warm
Layer your clothes to stay warm – the layers
will trap warm air between them and keep you
warmer than one thick jumper. Wear a hat and
gloves when you go outside and wrap a scarf
around your face to warm the air you breathe in.
Wear water resistant shoes to keep your feet
warm. If you have a respiratory or heart problem,
stay indoors when the weather is very cold.

Wrapping up warm can help protect you against
chilblains. These are small, itchy red patches that
appear if you’ve tried to warm up too quickly after
going out in the cold or damp. You should avoid
scratching at your skin, and they should clear up
on their own in two to three weeks.

                                                      3

Take care when going outside
    in icy weather
    If you have to go out when it’s icy, wear shoes
    with good grip and a warm lining, and put on
    thick socks. Keep grit and/or salt to put on your
    path. Some councils provide free bags of this
    or you can buy it from a DIY store.

    Eat well
    Food is a vital source of energy that helps keep
    you warm. Have hot drinks and hot meals
    regularly throughout the day. Eat plenty
    of fruit and vegetables to boost your immune
    system and give you more energy.

    The NHS has an Eatwell Guide that can help you
    aim for a healthy and balanced diet (nhs.uk/live-
    well/eat-well/the-eatwell-guide).

4

Keep your cupboards and freezer
well stocked
Keep basic food items for times when it’s too cold
to go out. Think about stocking up on tinned soup,
baked beans, long-life milk and fruit juice, ready-
made sauces, pasta and rice. Keep frozen
vegetables, meat, fish and bread in your freezer.

Stay active
Get outside if it isn’t icy or too cold – it
can boost your mood to get outdoors
in the daylight, and it’s good for
your muscles and bones too. If
you’re indoors, don’t sit still for
more than an hour.

If you have health or
mobility problems, talk to
your GP about how much and
what sort of exercises you can do.

                                                      5

2     Staying
          healthy

    Changes to services during the
    coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
    You can still get help and advice from your GP or
    pharmacist but there may be changes in how you
    access it – call your GP surgery or contact them via
    their website, rather than going there in person.

    Get your flu jab
    It’s important to have a flu jab every year. Even if you
    had one last year, it might not protect you from this
    year’s flu. It’s free if you’re 65 or over, a carer, or have
    certain health conditions such as diabetes or asthma.
    For the 2020/21 flu season it will be available for free
    to more groups of people, including those aged 50 to
    64 and households of people on the shielded patient
    list.

    Flu is more than just a bad cold and can increase your
    risk of more serious illnesses such as pneumonia. It’s
    best to get the jab as early as possible, before the winter
    flu season. Make an appointment with your GP or see
    if your local pharmacy offers the flu jab.

6

Check you’ve had a pneumo jab
The pneumo (or pneumococcal) jab is a one-off
jab that helps protect against pneumonia,
meningitis and septicaemia. You’re eligible
for a free jab if you’re 65 or over.

Flu jabs and pneumo jabs do not protect
against coronavirus.

Restock your medicine cabinet
Keep a range of everyday medicines at home in
case you get ill, such as your usual painkillers,
cough medicine, lozenges and sore throat sprays.
Ask your pharmacist for advice if you’re unwell.
Some GP surgeries and pharmacies operate a
minor ailment scheme, which may enable you
to get medicine for some minor illnesses for free
if you don’t normally pay for prescriptions.

Ask your pharmacy if they offer a home delivery
service for your repeat prescriptions too. This can
be especially helpful in cold weather or if you’re
unable to leave the house during the coronavirus
pandemic. You can also order repeat prescriptions
online and get them delivered to you (nhs.uk/
using-the-nhs/nhs-services/pharmacies/how-
to-order-repeat-prescriptions-online).

                                                      7

Get enough vitamin D
    Lack of sunshine in winter can mean you don’t get
    enough vitamin D, which can make you feel tired.
    The main source of vitamin D is sunlight but you
    can also get it from oily fish (such as salmon, tuna,
    mackerel and sardines), eggs, red meat, liver,
    margarine, and some cereals. However, it’s difficult
    to get enough vitamin D from food alone.

    The Department of Health and Social Care
    recommends that all adults consider taking a daily
    vitamin D supplement from October to March.
    People at higher risk of vitamin D deficiency may
    be advised to take a supplement all year round.
    Speak to your GP or pharmacist for advice.

                           Vitamin

                              D

8

3    Keeping your
     home warm

Check the thermostat
Being cold isn’t just uncomfortable –
it can also be very bad for your health.
                                            18°C
Low temperatures increase the risk of
flu as well as a heart attack, stroke or
hypothermia. Heat your home to at least
18°C (64°F) during the day and night.
Turn up your thermostat if you feel cold.

Check your boiler
Get your boiler serviced annually to make sure it
doesn’t break down when you need it most. To find
a gas engineer, contact the Gas Safe Register
(0800 408 5500, gassaferegister.co.uk). If you rent,
check if your landlord has arranged this.

Keep warm at night
A hot water bottle or electric blanket can warm up
your bed. Never use both together, as this can be
dangerous. Check whether you can keep your
blanket on all night or should switch it off before

                                                       9

you get into bed. Get your blanket
     checked every three years by an
     expert. Ask about this at the shop
     where you bought it or contact
     your local council’s trading
     standards department – they
     may even run free testing days.

     Keep your bedroom window
     closed at night when it’s cold –
     low temperatures can raise your
     blood pressure and put you at
     risk of a stroke or heart attack.

     Simple tips to keep your home
     warm
     Draw your curtains before it gets dark to keep
     the heat in, and consider getting thermal or
     heavy ones to keep your room warmer. Shut your
     doors to keep heat in the rooms. Don’t block your
     radiators with furniture – keep them clear so heat
     can circulate. Put draught excluders around doors
     and windows. Contact Simple Energy Advice
     (0800 444 202, simpleenergyadvice.org.uk) for
     more tips.

10

Get your home insulated
Insulating your loft and cavity walls and fitting a
jacket to your hot water cylinder can make your
home much warmer and reduce your bills. Read
our factsheet Paying for home maintenance and
repairs to find out more about home insulation
and whether you can get help to pay for it.

Apply for a grant to make your
home warmer
There is support available to make your home
more energy efficient, which will make it feel
warmer and reduce your fuel bills too. You could
be eligible for help with insulating your home
through the Energy Company Obligation (ECO)
scheme. You may also get help with repairing
your boiler or heating system, or replacing your
window glazing if you own or privately rent your
home, receive certain benefits, are in fuel poverty
or live on a low income and are vulnerable to the
effects of a cold home.

A new Green Homes Grant has been set up to help
people fund eco-friendly home improvements.
You may be eligible for help with energy-saving
measures, such as wall and underfloor insulation.

                                                      11

Contact Simple Energy Advice (0800 444 202,
     simpleenergyadvice.org.uk) to find out if you’re
     eligible for either the ECO scheme or the Green
     Home Grant. If you don’t qualify, you can still
     check with your energy supplier to see if you
     can get help in other ways.

     Join the Priority Services Register
     If you’re above State Pension age, disabled, have
     a chronic illness or sight or hearing loss, or are in
     a vulnerable situation, make sure you’ve signed
     up to your energy supplier’s and network
     operator’s Priority Service Register. This gives
     you free support and services – for example, you
     might be given advance notice of power cuts or
     offered alternative heating facilities if your supply
     is disrupted. Suppliers and network operators
     offer different help, so contact
     both to find out what
     they provide.

12

4    Making winter
     more affordable

Claim the money you’re entitled to
Most people born on or before 5 October 1954 will
get a Winter Fuel Payment of between £100 and
£300 by 13 January 2021. Call the Winter Fuel
Payment Centre on 0800 731 0160 or visit
gov.uk/winter-fuel-payment for more information.

If you get Pension Credit, you should automatically
get a Cold Weather Payment of £25 each time the
temperature in your area is at 0°C (32°F) or below
for seven days in a row between 1 November and
31 March.

You may qualify for a £140 one-off discount on
your electricity bill if you receive Guarantee
Pension Credit or you’re on a low income, even
if you use a pre-pay meter. Contact your energy
supplier to check if they are part of the
scheme, or the Warm Home Discount Scheme
to find out more (0800 731 0214, gov.uk/
the-warm-home-discount-scheme).

                                                      13

Pension Credit can top up your weekly income
     if it’s below £173.75 for a single person, or £265.20
     for a couple (rates apply until April 2021). These
     figures may be higher if you’re a carer or receive
     certain disability benefits. For more information,
     see our guide Pension Credit.

     Call us on 0800 319 6789 for a full benefits
     check, or try our online calculator
     (independentage.org/benefit-calculator).

     Check you’re on the
     best fuel tariff
     Switching supplier can be the
     best way to save money and may
     be easier than you think. Visit our
     website for information on how
     you might be able to save money
     by switching to a new energy
     supplier (independentage.org/get-advice/
     money/saving-money/switching-energy-
     supplier). If you’re not online, call one of the
     Ofgem-accredited energy switching companies
     for advice – for example, uSwitch (0800 6888
     557, uswitch.com).

14

Get help if you’re in debt
If you’re struggling to pay your energy bills,
contact your supplier to set up a repayment plan.
Charis Grants can direct you to sources of
financial help with fuel bills (01733 421 021,
charisgrants.com). Simple Energy Advice also
has an energy grant finder (simpleenergyadvice.
org.uk/grants).

For free, independent advice about debt,
contact the debt charities National Debtline
(0808 808 4000, nationaldebtline.org) or
Stepchange (0800 138 1111, stepchange.org).

                                                    15

Our free advice guides
     You may be interested in…

                   Moneywise
                   Tips on saving money and claiming
                   any extra money and benefits you’re
                   entitled to.

                   If you’re feeling lonely
                   Ways to overcome loneliness.

                   Summer wise
                   Advice on how to look after yourself
                   and keep your home cool in hot
                   weather.

       Our practical, jargon-free advice guides give
       you the information you need to get the most
       out of older age.
       To find out about our full range of guides
       and order copies, call 0800 319 6789 or visit
       independentage.org/publications

16

The information in this guide applies to England
only.
If you’re in Wales, contact Age Cymru
(0800 022 3444, ageuk.org.uk/cymru)
for information and advice.
In Scotland, contact Age Scotland
(0800 12 44 222, ageuk.org.uk/scotland)
In Northern Ireland, contact Age NI
(0808 808 7575, ageuk.org.uk/northern-ireland)

We want the UK to be the best place to grow older
and we have ambitious targets to increase the
number of older people we help and the difference
we make. We receive no state
funding and rely on income
from individuals, trusts and
other sources to continue
providing our services to
hundreds of thousands of
older people in need.
Visit independentage.org
to make a secure online
donation and find out about
other ways to support us.
Alternatively, you can call us
on 020 7605 4223 or email
supporters@independentage.org

                                                    17

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